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Bay Area Occupy Blog: Occupy San Jose campers say they are going to be raided

Bay Area News Group

Posted:
11/16/2011 05:12:33 AM PST

Updated:
11/17/2011 03:25:11 AM PST

Hundreds of protesters marched through San Francisco after demonstrators from UC Berkeley arrived by the busload to support members of Occupy San Francisco. The group briefly occupied a Bank of America branch before some continued down Market Street while others remained in the bank and were arrested by San Francisco Police. Across the Bay, about 20 tents remain at Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley, and about 30 tents are at Snow Park near Lake Merritt in Oakland.

11:50 p.m.: Raid coming to Occupy San Jose?

About 15 campers at Occupy San Jose say police have told them they are going to be raided early Thursday morning. A San Jose police spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Police had arrested the demonstrators when they were camped out in front of San Jose City Hall last month. But about three weeks ago, they moved their tents across the street and have not been arrested or cited since.

Shaunn Cartwright, one of the protesters, said law enforcement officials told them they would seize the campers' property and arrest them if they did not leave. She said she was surprised because the group had voted Sunday to begin negotiations with the city.

10:20 p.m.: Tent from Bank of America selling for more than $225 on eBay

As promised earlier, someone on eBay is selling the tent used in today's Bank of America protest in San Francisco.

There have already been 10 bids on the green REI 10-person tent, and around 10:20 p.m. the high bid was at $225.92. There are still more than 2½ days left to bid on it.

We can't confirm it's the actual tent, of course, but the ad sure seems to be written by a protester, and the purchase is verified by eBay. There is plenty of smart-aleck, anti-corporate humor on the posting, titled "Short sale foreclosure, Luxury SF FiDi Bungalow, previously occupied."

The irony, of course, is that San Jose-based eBay is a huge, multi-billion dollar corporation.

Earlier, protesters said they would sell the tent to raise money for the OccupySF movement. Most of the people who actually pitched the tent in the Financial district branch of Bank of America were arrested -- 95 protesters in all were booked.

9:20 p.m.: Campers can't agree on enacting mayor's proposed changes

Given a Thursday evening deadline to comply with Mayor Ed Lee's demands, members of Occupy SF could not reach a consensus to enact certain reforms that could help them stay in Justin Herman Plaza with the consent of city officials.

Though occupiers who met with Lee earlier in the day were receptive to his orders to clean up the camp, the protesters at tonight's general assembly meeting couldn't agree on implementing any of the changes.

Many of the campers agreed that increasing space between tents, banning drugs and alcohol and taking down tarp canopies was a good idea, saying it was a way to appease the city so they could prolong their stay at the plaza. But a small number of campers opposed these moves. Later in the meeting, they indicated a willingness to at least try to comply with the demand to increase the space between tents.

Campers can still implement some of these changes on their own without the approval of the general assembly but it's unclear if that it will happen.

City inspectors plan to stop by the camp around 4 p.m. on Thursday to see if the changes have been made.

6:35 p.m.: Bank protest over after people in tent give up

About 10 people who had pitched a tent inside the Bank of America branch in San Francisco have peacefully surrendered to police.

Some riot police are still inside the bank processing the protesters who have been arrested but there are no people left demonstrating inside the branch. Thus ends an hours-long protest that resulted in 95 arrests.

Occupy campers are cleaning up and reorganizing themselves at Justin Herman Plaza after a meeting with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee this afternoon where they were given a number of conditions, including a ban on alcohol, drugs and glass containers at the encampment. Lee, however, made no promise to refrain from raiding the camp at some point to close it down.

In addition to the ban on drugs and alcohol, the protesters were told to provide space between tents, not raise large tarp canopies over the area and have portable toilets pumped and cleaned more frequently. No tents will be allowed on the grass along the Embarcadero, and protesters have been given a Thursday evening deadline to move the tents that were set up at the Federal Reserve Bank at 101 Market Street.

The camp at Justin Herman Plaza is smaller, with people packing up and leaving.

"These are the guidelines that have been given to us, now we'll see what happens next,'' said Philip Oje, one of the Occupy SF campers who met with Lee. "It's cleaning up, it's not looking like a homeless encampment anymore, it's a blessing.''

Meanwhile, protesters at the Bank of America branch where arrests were made announced by loudspeaker that they would put the tent they erected inside the branch on eBay to raise money for their movement.

4:05 p.m.: Arrests slow down

After making about five or six arrests, police have stopped.

There doesn't appear to be any serious vandalism at the bank, though the word "Greed" is written in chalk on the walls, there are a couple of empty beer cans, and signs reading "Make banks pay" are hanging next to bank signs.

3:50 p.m.: Police start making arrests

Police have begun making arrests inside the bank, going into the crowd, talking to individual protesters, standing them up, one-by-one, and arresting them.

The scene is quiet and peaceful.

In anticipation of the arrests, a dozen or so people are lined up outside the bank, along with a line of paddy wagons. Patrons of a health club across the street are looking down on the scene as they run on their treadmills.

3:30 p.m.: Back at camp, cleanup efforts under way

Back at the main camp, a man named Matt, 24, who has been at the camp about a month, was among those who met with mayor and department heads today.

When asked what he thought of the mayor's statement that the camp had to make immediate, dramatic changes in cleanliness, sanitation and other health safety issues in order to stay, he said:

"It's kind of absurd to ask for immediate dramatic changes to these longstanding issues we've had in the community. These are issues they haven't been able to address for years and years," he said. "The idea that we can address them overnight or immediately is ridiculous. But we have been working really hard ... and we have a good faith effort into addressing all these issues. And we have come a long way in a really short period of time."

He said he did not necessarily hear an ultimatum in the mayor's words, but that he was wary. All they can do, he said, is keep the dialogue open and continue to try and appease city officials by keeping the camp clean and orderly.

A member of the San Francisco Interfaith Allies of Occupy, Carol Been, said they were asked by camp leaders to come in and help address some of the issues between the camp and the city:

"Today there were very mixed messages, messages about immediacy for which there was no definition. We had appointments with department heads to solve problems, but we didn't know what the (solution) was actually going to be, because basically, the situation is this movement is growing, and if it's growing, it needs to have space," she said. "We are committed as a religious community to work with Occupy San Francisco, and to work with the mayor's office and the department heads to figure out how to solve that problem," she added.

"I believe that this city would not be (showing) good faith if they acted before we get a plan in place to make that happen. That would be extremely unfortunate. We do not need to go the way of New York and Oakland. What we need to do is find a solution and be the city of Saint Francis, to be the city that understands that we care for all people, the 1 percent and the 99 percent."

Meagan Moroney, 24, left the meeting with the city early in order to go back to the camp and clean it up before a 4 p.m. meeting and inspection with reps from departments of public works, parks and recreation and public health:

"They have problems with the cleanliness of our camp, so I'm going to go get a broom, get a mop ... trash bags and mobilize the camp and get us all to clean it up," she said. "I want to live in a clean space too."

When asked about whether the camp should be limited to 100 tents, as defined in a flier/guidelines distributed to the camp by Public Works a couple of weeks ago, she said:

"While we do respect that we need to clean up our camp, and have it become more safe and also up to health codes, we not agree with the city getting to decide how we then freely protest and use the space available for that," Moroney said. "We are definitely willing to work with the city to find new space... but we are not OK with the city deciding who gets to be part of this movement. The only way this movement gets stronger is by the number of people that are growing within it. So we are not OK with cutting down people and telling them they can't be part of the civil rights movement."

As far as whether she is worried the camp might get raided:

"It might happen again, but we're not going anywhere," she said. "They can raid us as much as they want but we're always going to come back because we're not thinking of this short term, day by day. We're trying of trying to save the United States and save the world.

3:25 p.m.: Police re-enforcements arrive

Police vehicles and re enforcements have arrived at the bank.

3:10 p.m.: Core group of marchers move away from BofA

The seated protesters are getting up and walking away from police. The march is re-forming, with protesters starting to march again, moving further into the Financial District down Davis Street. Signs have been pasted against the windows of the Bank of America branch on California Street near Davis Street.

The standoff continues inside the bank, where people inside waved goodbye to those who left.

There seem to be about a dozen officers in riot helmets inside the bank with the protesters.

3:10 p.m.: March to resume

A protest leader says the march will resume. It's unclear if police will allow the march to continue.

A protest organizer reports that more than one person was hit in head by cops and is bleeding.

3:05 p.m.: Police plan 'peaceful' arrests inside bank

San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr has arrived to survey the scene and talk to protest organizers.

He said he came to the scene because an initial report from dispatchers made it sound worse than it is, that there were reports of violence inside the bank.

Finding that wasn't the case, he said the plan now is for police to, hopefully, make "peaceful" arrests inside the bank.

San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr has arrived and is surveying the scene and talking to protest organizers.

There's a sign in front of the police that says, "Today's students are majoring in debt."

2:45 p.m.: Police block entrance to bank, tensions flare

About 2:40 p.m., police and backup officers arrived to block the entrance to the bank, forming a line to drive the protesters away. Outside the bank, police began using batons and trying to push people away, with the situation becoming tense for a few minutes as protesters began to throw things.

The situation, though, quickly calmed down, as protesters yelled, "Shame on you, shame on you." Shortly afterward, protesters surrounded the 30 or so cops on the scene, some of them sitting down, with both sides videotaping each other.

About 20 people are in the street, locking arms in a human chain, between the bank and deputies.

Inside the bank, someone has erected a tent and about 40-50 people are surrounding police and refusing to leave.

2:35 p.m.: BofA officials sign paperwork for an order for police to disperse crowd

About 2:30 p.m., bank managers asked everyone to leave and they were shouted down.

Protesters were running around the bank, standing on desks and writing "Occupy Bank of America" on bank calendars, chanting, "Whose bank? Our bank!"

One man, Mike Ahmadi, of Livermore, came in to deposit a check from his business but there were no tellers so managers wouldn't take his check.

"I'm a satisfied customer of Bank of America, but I must be the exception to the rule,'' he laughed. Asked if he supports the protesters, he said, he's happy to live in America, where people have the freedom to protest in this fashion.

There are still about 100 people in the bank.

2:30 p.m.: Protesters 'occupy' BofA lobby

About 100 protesters are literally occupying the lobby at Bank of America at 50 California St., as most employees have fled from the area.

"Now they see how to evacuate the camp," protester Stand 42 Life said.

The group is pounding on drums, and some protesters are dancing on the counters. One officer is in the lobby, taking a report from the bank manager.

2:15 p.m.: Marchers stream into BofA in financial district

The marchers are heading through the heart of the financial district, focusing their attention on banks. Many banks locked their doors, but protesters found the doors to the Bank of America open.

They streamed in, ran up the building and held their signs to the windows screaming "We are the 99 percent." Some were blowing trumpets.

It was the first sign of disobedience since the march started, but police and security guards are standing by watching.

Some officers marched away from the standoff back to their motorcycles, to cheers from crowd. Other cops blocked the door.

1:40 p.m.: Protesters sit down in middle of Battery Street, then head downtown

Protesters halted their march, sitting down on Battery Street between Pacific and Broadway. It's uncertain what the significance of this location is. There's a Starbucks, a Fed Ex and the "Old Ship Saloon" on the block. No sign of big bank anywhere here. About 30 motorcycle cops were keeping an eye on the protesters, but taking no action.

At 1:45 p.m., protesters were on the move again, heading down Montgomery, past antique stores and fancy restaurants and toward the Financial District.

1:20 p.m.: San Francisco protesters begin to march

Protesters, including students and a strong union presence, are beginning to march, blocking traffic as they cross Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building (where a gourmet lunch crowd is dining). Protesters are heading down the Embarcadero heading in the direction toward Fisherman's Wharf. Police are now redirecting traffic to allow the march. The people eating outside the Ferry Building are taking photos will their cell phones.

The line of protesters, cheering and hoisting Occupy signs, extends about a half mile filled with perhaps a few thousands people.

At 1:30 p.m., the thousands of protesters hung a left onto Broadway from The Embarcadero and continued their chants and drumming. Police continued to redirect traffic to allow them safe passage.

12:45 p.m.: Berkeley students lead rally at Occupy S.F. camp

Some 600 student protesters who arrived in buses from UC Berkeley are leading a rally at San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza. Students from UC Davis, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz were rumored to be en route as well.

The rally has long been planned, Cal student Sabine Lueltzow said, explaining that the group planned to protest at a UC Board of Regents meeting. The regents canceled that meeting, but that didn't deter the students.

"Everything was organized already, so we just kept going," Lueltzow said.

A student speaker listed five demands of the regents:

1) Stop all funding cuts for the California education system, from elementary schools to public universities.

2) Reverse all cuts and fee hikes to 2009 levels.

3) Increase taxes on corporations and the rich.

4) Reinstate affirmation action policies.

5) Respect free speech and don't use police force to stop rallies.

If their demands are not met, the speaker said, they will organize strikes in February.

12:18 p.m.: Law profs blast Birgeneau's Occupy Cal response

More than 85 faculty members at the University of California, Berkeley Law School have signed a letter to Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and other administrators condemning the police response to Occupy Cal protesters last week.

The Boalt Hall faculty's letter says police not only instigated violence at Sproul Plaza, but also were "unwarranted and excessive" in detaining two law students elsewhere that day. The letter urges Birgeneau to publicly support and defend the right to engage in nonviolent political expression.

Among the signers is former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, now serving as a Distinguished Practitioner of Law and Public Policy at the school.

We, the undersigned members of the Berkeley Law faculty, write to condemn in the strongest possible terms:

1) the violence directed against nonviolent student, staff and faculty protesters at Sproul Plaza on November 9, 2011;

2) the temporary detention by police of two law students near the law school on the same day; and

3) the Chancellor's public and explicit defense of the police action of November 9, 2011, which made inaccurate distinctions between violent and nonviolent civil disobedience and which he apparently signed without having viewed the videos of the incidents at issue.

Sproul Plaza. The First Amendment enshrines the right to assemble peaceably, to speak freely, and to petition for governmental redress of grievances. Interference with these rights, particularly in the form of violence that was visited upon protesters in Sproul Plaza last week, is inexcusable by any government entity, but is particularly troubling at a public university. While the University may enforce its rules, including citing or arresting those engaged in acts of civil disobedience (such as linking arms and refusing to disband), there is no place for instigating violence in a community dedicated to the free exchange of ideas.

Kroeber Plaza. On November 9, in separate incidents, a group of officers detained two Berkeley Law students who were attempting to return to class after participating in the peaceful demonstration at Sproul Hall. The officers detained each student near Kroeber Plaza, though there had been no protest activity at the Plaza or the law school, and the students were simply walking back to class. Ostensibly, the officers were asking for identification. However, the accounts of these incidents provided by the two students and other witnesses — law students and law school faculty and staff — describe police actions that were unwarranted and excessive.

Going Forward. The police conduct at Sproul Plaza, and the humiliating and frightening police activity at Kroeber Plaza, have caused a number of our students to question whether they can safely come and go from the law school, much less exercise their First Amendment rights at our university. In addition to the urgent need for a thorough review of these events — including holding accountable those parties responsible for any actions that violated the civil and political rights of our community members — we call on the administration to:

At San Francisco City Hall, Mayor Ed Lee, the fire chief and other departments heads are meeting with Occupy protesters. The mayor said he would make a public comment when the meeting is over.

Meanwhile, police are erecting barricades along Market Street at the same spot where they removed a small area of tents earlier today.

11:50 a.m.: Cal students arrive at Occupy SF

Buses of students from UC Berkeley are beginning to arrive at Justin Herman Plaza. About 100 students so far are streaming into the plaza, many wearing Cal sweatshirts. A flier is circulating through the camp setting out an agenda for the day, including a noon rally at the plaza, a 1 p.m. march on the banks and a 4 p.m. "People's Assembly for Public Education" at the state building on Golden Gate Avenue, an attempt to keep the rallying call of high tuition fees on message, even though the UC Board of Regents canceled their meeting today.

As Cal students entered the plaza, some of the Occupy San Francisco organizers were teaching them the art of the protest: How to deal with police, how to march so they don't provoke officers, and what to say to police if confronted.

11:15 a.m.: Occupy Oakland tents remain at Snow Park

Wednesday morning, Zachary Running Wolf was still perched a tree on 14th Street by Frank Ogawa Plaza, which cleaning crews were scouring with high-powered water machines. A handful of Occupy Oakland supporters stood by the flagpole in the corner of the plaza near Broadway and 14th Street. The Occupy Oakland satellite camp at Snow Park began with a few tents before the Oct. 25 raid on the main camp in Frank Ogawa Plaza. Now at least a dozen tents and a kitchen station dot the grassy knoll at Harrison and 19th streets. The Snow Park campers said they expect police will try to drive them out, probably Monday. "A raid is imminent," one man said. They are trying to decide where they should move to.

Rumors of a raid are circulating by word-of-mouth. No city officials have been in touch with the campers, although police came by Snow Park Tuesday to talk to let them know officers would patrol the park. Several men who serve as security guards said they welcome the police protection. The city hasn't picked up garbage at the park and shut off electricity. The campers have a portable toilet but the bathrooms in the park have been closed well before the camp sprung up. Meanwhile, a few people still sat outside the Veterans Memorial Building along Grand Avenue but the "Occupy Oakland" banner there before was gone Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, Occupy Oakland medic Momo managed to set up a tent on a dock at Lake Merritt that is unattached to land.

10:30 a.m.: Buses loading up at Cal, bound for Occupy SF rally

Ten buses are parked at Cal to take protesters to rallies and marches in San Francisco, centered around Occupy SF and higher education costs.

The bus convoy is being funded by a coalition of education and labor groups. The protesters aim to hold a "people's regents" meeting at the state building this afternoon.

7:30 a.m.: Cal wakes up around Sproul Plaza camp

Sproul Plaza is bustling now, with students walking around the encampment.

Ian Saxton, one of the protesters, said it has been a turning point in the Occupy movement because there has been so unnecessary force used on protesters in recent clashes.

The Occupy Cal tent city's overnight campout is a "preliminary victory and broadening of a new level of interaction between the Occupy movement and academia," said Saxton, a second-year doctoral student in music composition.

"We sent a message of peaceful discontent."

Before joining the Cal encampment, Saxton had camped at Occupy Oakland for two weeks.

7:15 a.m.: SF rally, protest planned

After their sit-down with Mayor Ed Lee, Occupy SF protesters are planning a noon rally at Justin Herman Plaza, then a 1 p.m. march on banks. Buses are planned to carry over Occupy Cal students for the rally and march.

5:45 a.m.: Remnants of ancillary Occupy SF camp sleeping it off

A dozen people are lying huddled in sleeping bags at Market and Spear streets, just outside police barricades where a small encampment was cleared earlier. There are 11 officers standing guard.

People in business suits are starting to walk through, on their way to work

At least five organizers are to planning to have the camp's first ever sit down with Mayor Ed Lee at 10 a.m., said Christopher Ray, the Occupy SF media contact.

But he said the morning's police action to clear an auxiliary camp may cast a pall on that meeting.

"After us being attacked tonight, I don't think he will expect us to be happy with him."

At the meeting, Ray said he hopes to discuss the camp's expansion, adding that plans are in the works to move to Civic Center outside San Francisco City Hall.

Earlier, the camp's general assembly decided to expel members who refuse to be nonviolent and one particular troublemaker was ushered out, Ray said.

"We all marched him nonviolently to the curb at the edge of camp and made him leave. It was wonderful. it made everyone so happy."

3:36 a.m.: Some occupiers pack belongings

Despite assurances the main camp won't be cleared tonight, some occupiers had packed up their belongings and were weighing whether to stay. One man who had been at the camp for about a week packed up his stuff, saying he wanted to have it ready if he had to leave in a hurry.

Meantime, the dance party is going strong on Market and Steuart streets. A sound system is rigged together on a cart with a car battery and an iPad.

3:26 a.m.: Scene calms at Cal

Perhaps 150 students and more than a dozen tents remain at Sproul, but the scene has calmed considerably since a flurry of activity following the order to disperse. Some students are sleeping while others sit and talk -- often to a small contingent of officers who continue to watch the proceedings.

San Francisco Police Cmdr. Richard Corriea said police have no intention to go into the main camp, and wanted only to clear 15 tents from the Market Street sidewalk.

"What we said tonight was there was a problem with these 15 tents," he said. "They were blocking the sidewalk and there was a level of biohazard we couldn't leave. We're talking about seven people in 15 tents at 1:15 a.m. It was a very finite mission."

The seven arrested will be cited and released, he said. No injuries were reported.

Police are now standing by at the camp until it calms down. "I imagine folks will be going to sleep soon," he said.

Perhaps not, though: About 40 people have started a dance party on Market and Spear streets, about a block away from the camp.

Meantime, more details are coming in from the action this morning: The overflow camp that was cleared is on the south side of Market Street, just west of the plaza. Once police moved in, chaos erupted in the larger camp. Many campers rushed over from Justin Herman and confronted police. There was shouting and maybe a little pushing, but not major violence.

The campers eventually retreated back to the plaza, where some got into physical confrontations and arguments over how to respond.

Police slowly dispersed to a staging area about a half a block away, and only about a dozen remain.

"When you do that, it gives the police the right to react however they wish," said Bennett, who has lived in the camp since Thursday. "The people who reacted violently, they are not occupiers. They are just dwelling here because it's a sanctuary."

2:45 a.m.: Anger escalates at Occupy SF

A small number of campers, perhaps three, are having a heated argument among themselves at the San Francisco encampment at Justin Herman Plaza. Rumors in the camp are that police only wanted to remove a smaller number of tents from Market Street, and will leave the main camp alone if campers calm down.

2:40 a.m.: Cal protesters resolve to protect tents

After a general assembly, those remaining at Sproul voted to link arms and encircle the tent encampment to protect it from police. They also want to group the tents closer together.

The vote came as about a dozen police officers watch the proceedings but have as yet made no moves to disband the camp.

2:30 a.m.: Mood at Occupy SF ramps up; Cal resumes discussion

The mood is angry now at Occupy SF, with lots of shouting and people with bandannas covering their faces. Some people are shouting through megaphones, and others have begun to fight among themselves. "The police are waiting for us to destroy ourselves," one protester said.

Police are monitoring from the sides.

At Cal, meanwhile, the atmosphere has calmed a bit. Demonstrators continue to discuss how they should react to the police order to disperse.

2:15 a.m. Occupy SF residents respond to raid

As police mass outside the Occupy SF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza, campers are debating how to respond. While some are advocating for a hostile defense, others are talking about de-escalation and patience.

One man is repeatedly banging a stick on something, creating a loud booming noise to rally the campers. Another man has started playing the clarinet.

"This is the ugly face of society," said Stan, a camp resident angry over the police response. "If the city wanted to be more supportive of citizens and taxpayers, they would make this a reservation for homeless people. They have reservations for birds and endangered species, but not for people?"

He said he'd been living in the camp for 10 days.

Steve, another camper, said, "We were told the police said they would come in tomorrow, but here they are."

Many of those in the encampment are homeless and are worried about where they will put their belongings so they are not seized by police.

2 a.m. Order to disperse issued at Cal

Police have now given those at Sproul an official order to disperse. Demonstrators are debating what their response will be. More than a dozen tents remain on the steps.

1:48 a.m. Police unexpectedly pull back from Occupy SF

Police created a perimeter around the camp on the west side, and have unexpectedly fallen back from the camp. Some tents that had been pitched on Market Street have been removed, but officers haven't yet started into the main camp.

Protesters are setting up barricades and appear to be bracing for a fight. Some protesters are shouting at and taunting police.

Meanwhile, police have backed off at Occupy Cal. Earlier, protesters called a general assembly to discuss what their rights are as citizens. They invited members from the disbanded Oakland camp at Frank Ogawa Plaza to join them and oppose police.

1:40 p.m. Police surround Occupy San Francisco camp

At least 50 police officers in riot gear are surrounding the camp at Justin Herman Plaza, as campers chant, "Freedom!"

Market Street is closed at Stewart Street.

1:30 a.m. Police enter Sproul

About half a dozen police have appeared near the steps of Sproul Hall and told protesters they want the tents cleared by morning, although they did not issue an official order to disperse.

A couple tents have been voluntarily removed, but most remain. The group -- about 150 people left -- is debating whether to have a confrontation with police.

1 a.m. Campers bedding down

Perhaps 150 people remain on the plaza, with some bedding down for the night and others helping clean up the plaza.

About 20 tents are pitched on the steps of Sproul Hall, but others have created makeshift structures out of blankets and cardboard boxes.

12:30 p.m. Police presence small at Sproul

Only about a dozen police officers are visible, monitoring the crowd, now about 200 strong. The mood is festive and calm. People on the plaza are dancing to an eclectic mix of music -- Jamaican rap, rapper Tupac Shakur, and now a concert from some bongo drum players -- and officers don't seem poised to move in anytime soon. Some officers are chatting intermittently with protesters.

At least 15 tents are on the steps of Sproul Hall.

Wednesday, 12:05 a.m. Crowd is thinning at Sproul Plaza

People are leaving Sproul Plaza as Tuesday turns to Wednesday. About 300 people now remain. It's not clear if police plan to clear the 10 or so tents that have been pitched on the steps of Sproul.

Tuesday, 11:40 p.m. Sproul Plaza is festive with music and dancing

The crowd at Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley has dwindled to about 500 people and 1980s club music is blaring in the plaza. There are about 10 tents on the steps of Sproul Hall but police have not moved to remove them.

Daniel Ellsberg, who famously leaked the Pentagon Papers -- the secret history of the war in Vietnam -- is pledging to sleep in a tent on campus. If arrested, it will be the 84th time Ellsberg, 80, of Kensington, has been arrested for civil disobedience, he said.

Meanwhile, a small Occupy encampment at the Downtown Oakland Veterans Memorial Hall on Grand Avenue has been cleared by about two dozen Oakland police officers.

The sweep was peaceful. One camper was arrested on two outstanding misdemeanor warrants. The other dozen or so campers dispersed quietly, with some apparently headed to Snow Park near Lake Merritt. About 40 tents remain at that park in a smaller Occupy Oakland encampment than the one formerly at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

The Veterans Hall encampment popped up on Veterans Day, with most campers bedding down in sleeping bags on the steps of the hall. A handful of tents were pitched on a corner of grounds at Grand Avenue and Harrison Street, but those were cleared also by police. Officers said they were enforcing city code that says parks are closed after 10 p.m.

10:35 p.m. Seven tents set up on steps of Sproul Hall

The crowd at Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley has dwindled down to about 800 people. UC Berkeley spokeswoman Claire Holmes said no arrests have been made.

"We'll be monitoring the situation through out the night and we hope not to repeat the events of last week," she said, when police and protesters clashed on Nov. 9.

About seven tents are now set up on the steps of Sproul Hall and Occupy Cal protesters have moved two pianos, a sofa and a large chalkboard in front of the small tent village. Music continues to play.

10:15 p.m. People dancing at Sproul Plaza following Reich speech

A UC Berkeley spokeswoman says there are about 3,500 people remaining at Sproul Plaza. Earlier, people were listening to 1970s and '80s tunes, such as "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor and "Rock the Casbah," by The Clash, but the music has now stopped. The crowd is spirited, but peaceful and the spokeswoman said no arrests have been made.

Earlier, UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich gave a short, but powerful speech.

9:55 p.m. Reich speech concludes, tents passed on top of crowd

UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has concluded a brief but well-received speech about class warfare, ending his remarks by saying to the thousands gathered at Sproul Plaza, "You are the ones who make change possible."

About six tents, which were pitched on the plaza earlier, are now being passed along the top of the crowd, up the stairs to the Sproul Hall entrance. The crowd has thinned out, but thousands remain.

9:35 p.m. Reich speaking on class warfare at Occupy Cal

UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is speaking to 5,000 people gathered at Sproul Plaza. He said the "Fundamental problem (is) we are losing equal opportunity. We are losing the moral foundation stone upon which this country was built.

"When so much wealth and income go to the top, power and influence go to the top,'' he said, adding that irresponsible use of wealth has undermined the economic system.

Reich is getting a warm reception from the audience as he continues to speak.

"Occupy (movements) throughout this country are a reflection of our response to crisis in our democracy. You are already making a huge difference."

The "days of apathy are over," he said.

9:20 p.m. Robert Reich is taking the microphone

UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has taken the microphone and has started his remarks. There are at least 5,000 people gathered on Sproul Plaza to hear him speak and as part of Occupy Cal. So far, it's been peaceful. There are police there, but no problems so far. People are on several rooftops watching and helicopters are buzzing overhead.

8:40 At least six tents pitched at Sproul Plaza, people on building rooftops

UC Berkeley students, alumni and community members are gathered on Sproul Plaza for the Mario Savio Lecture series with UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, who is preparing to speak. Several older alumni have joined the crowed to hear Reich speak.

About six tents have been set up in the middle of the audience following the general assembly's vote to reoccupy Cal. Some people have taken to the rooftops of Cal buildings, but no problems have been reported so far.

8:26 p.m. Protesters at Occupy Cal vote overwhelmingly to pitch tents

Thousands of people have just voted in favor of pitching tents on campus. A few people have pitched tents in the middle of the audience waiting to hear UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is speak on class warfare at 8:30 p.m. There could be as many as 5,000 people gathered on Sproul Plaza now.

8:05 p.m. Robert Reich to take the stage soon at Occupy Cal

UC Berkeley public policy professor and former U. S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is going to be speaking to thousands of people gathered on Sproul Plaza as part of the Mario Savio Memorial lecture in the next few minutes. People have come to Berkeley from many corners of the country. People from Occupy Alabama, Occupy Seattle and Occupy Hartford are on campus. Peaceful evening

7:35 Occupy San Francisco has meeting with mayor on Wednesday

As protesters continue to craft proposals for the future of Occupy Cal in Berkeley, San Francisco Occupiers have firmed up a meeting with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Wednesday to discuss the future of their camp. That camp, at Justin Herman Plaza, has expanded onto Market Street with more than 110 tents and just as many protesters.

Sean Semans, who is part of the San Francisco Occupy, said he and a handful of others will meet with Lee on Wednesday. Lee has promised to meet with protesters before the city makes any moves to clear the camp, but Semans said he doesn't know what the outcome of the meeting will be. The San Francisco camp remained peaceful Tuesday evening, with just a few police officers in the area.

Occupy Berkeley protesters plan to head over on buses at 10 a.m. and noon Wednesday to Justin Herman Plaza to support that encampment and march on state buildings there.

6:45 p.m. Lone man remains in sycamore tree at Occupy Oakland

As thousands debate various proposals at Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus, Zachary Running Wolf, who once ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Berkeley, is the only person remaining at the former Occupy Oakland encampment. All the action has moved to UC Berkeley, but Running Wolf, 48, who spent 80 days in trees at UC Berkeley several years ago, says he will stay in the tree until the Occupy Oakland encampment is allowed to return to Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. Police cleared protesters and about 100 tents early Monday morning and they city has outlawed camping there. Running Wolf said he and supporters have built two platforms -- 20 feet and 30 feet up in the tree at 14th Street and Broadway.

Meanwhile, people who split into groups at Occupy Cal have passed a proposal to call on UC Regents and Gov. Jerry Brown to next month debate with them how fee hikes will be "redistributed into education."

The group is now crafting a second proposal: an open letter to the state of California, UC Regents and other government branches to stop cuts to public education and return fees to the 2009 level.

They are demanding refunds for students who have paid into the system over the last two years and also want the regents to uphold peaceful assembly on campus. They want the regents and the government to sign the open letter by Feb. 1, 2012, or they say they will call on students, teachers and administrators to participate in a general strike at Berkeley.

6:10 p.m. Thousands at Sproul Plaza at Cal

As helicopters buzz overheard, about 3,000 people at Sproul Plaza have broken into small groups to weigh proposals about their next moves. The UC Berkeley general assembly has voted to sit in solidarity with every Occupy movement in the world and with "every single person who occupies in the name of righting the injustice." Leaders of the general assembly are calling on the UC Regents and Gov. Jerry Brown to next month debate with them how fee hikes will be redistributed into education.

5 p.m. No apparent connection between shooting and Occupy Cal

At a news conference about today's officer-involved shooting at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Police Chief Mitch Celaya said there was no reason to believe the armed man had any connection to the strike or the Occupy Cal movement.

Celaya said UC Berkeley Police officers arrived at the building at 2:19 p.m. after a 911 call about an armed suspect. When confronted in the computer lab, the man pulled out a gun and "displayed it in a threatening manner," he said. Officers ordered him to drop the weapon, and when he didn't, one officer fired multiple shots, Celaya said. The man, who was conscious when he was taken to Highland Hospital, did not return fire. The name, age, condition and whether the man is a Cal student is unclear at this time. Authorities said he is a white man in his 20s.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau spoke at the news conference as well. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am that we are here at this news conference,'' he said. He said the shooter was in an elevator when he pulled a gun out of a bag and showed it to a woman also in the elevator. The woman got off the elevator and reported the incident to her boss and police were called.

Birgeneau called the shooting "extraordinary upsetting."

Student Alex Arroyo said he was working at the front desk of the computer lab when police arrived. When police entered the lab, Arroyo said he heard "drop the gun, drop the gun." "Then I heard 4 to 5 shots and we all dropped to the ground."

Police advised everyone to clear to the building. Birgeneau said there were four students in a computer lab between the police and the shooter, putting the students at risk. No one else was injured.